New Car/Review

2000 Buick Le Sabre Limited

by Carey Russ

The year 2000 comes early for Buick with the introduction of
the next generation of the Le Sabre. The Le Sabre is Buick's core
model, and has been the best-selling full-sized sedan in the country for
the past seven years. There can be considerable pressure for
conservatism with that sort of success. Fortunately, Buick has resisted
that pressure. Although it is a traditionally full-sized American five or
six-passenger sedan like its predecessor, the 2000 Buick Le Sabre is an
all-new car, and is much closer to the premium Park Avenue.

The 2000 Buick Le Sabre is built from the same platform
"architecture" as the Buick Park Avenue and Riviera. It is stronger and
more rigid than the old Le Sabre platform for a more solid feeling,
quieter ride, and improved handling. A longer wheelbase adds stability
on the road and room inside.

Two models of the new Le Sabre are offered, both powered by
the familiar 3800 Series II V6 engine. The Custom is very well-
equipped. The Limited adds comfort and convenience features
including dual-zone automatic climate control with air filtration, a
driver information center, power seats, a high-grade audio system,
alloy wheels, and remote keyless entry. Plenty of options are available
to bring a Le Sabre up to near-luxury levels, but at a very reasonable
price, as I discovered with this week's test car.

In my driveway is a fully-equipped 2000 Le Sabre Limited. It's
as smooth, quiet, roomy, and comfortable as expected. Thanks to the
Gran Touring suspension and the venerable 3800 engine, it handles
surprisingly well and moves quickly, with little thirst for gas. Buick is
trying to attract younger buyers, and this Le Sabre should help. It has
as much interior space as many medium-sized SUVs, and is far more
comfortable.

APPEARANCE: At first glance, the new Le Sabre is recognizably a
Buick, and easily mistaken for a Park Avenue. It is only slightly
smaller than the Park, and has a very similar silhouette with a long,
arched passenger cabin and high rear fenders. But the Le Sabre is less
formal, with an oval chromed waterfall grille similar to that of the
Century, and more rounded contours than those of the Park Avenue.
The roof treatment is unusual when viewed from the front, high at the
rain channels near the edges and then curved normally towards the
center. Discreet chrome trim around the side windows, headlights, and
full-width taillight applique provides definition. The Limited has a
shoulder pinstripe and multi-spoke alloy wheels.

COMFORT: The new Le Sabre's interior is contemporary, elegant,
and functional. Soft-touch surfaces on the doors and instrument panel
enhance safety, as do the "Catcher's Mitt" front seats. Although a six-
passenger seating configuration is standard, with cloth-covered front
and rear contoured bench seats, my test car has the optional five-
passenger interior, with power-adjustable, leather-upholstered front
bucket seats and a useful multi-compartmented center console. True to
the name, each front seat grips its occupant's posterior like a baseball
in a glove - and will adjust to "catch" the passenger during a rear-
impact collision. The instrument panel is hooded to reduce glare and
improve instrument visibility. It does that, and important controls are
well-placed. The steering-column-mounted shift lever keeps the floor
clear. Both the climate control and audio systems are easy to use and
work well. The rear seat has plenty of room for three real people, and
adjustable air vents in the rear of the front console add to their comfort.
The large trunk has easy, low-liftover access and a ski pass-through.

SAFETY: The 2000 Le Sabre's chassis uses safety-cage construction
with front and rear crush zones. It has dual frontal depowered airbags
and front side airbags. Energy-absorbing interior surfaces, four-wheel
antilock disc brakes, daytime running lights, and high-retention front
seats with self-aligning head restraints are some of the other safety
features of the new Le Sabre.

ROADABILITY: My test Le Sabre has the "Gran Touring" suspension
package, a highly-recommended option. It includes firmer suspension
tuning, 16-inch alloy wheels with lower-profile touring tires, magnetic
variable-ratio steering, and a lower axle ratio for improved response.
Don't be put off by "firmer suspension tuning" - it's not at all a harsh
"sports" suspension. The Gran Touring-equipped Le Sabre has a feel
much like a contemporary European luxury car, with good suspension
compliance for comfort, and good control. The overly-soft, poorly-
controlled suspension of past American sedans is ancient history.

PERFORMANCE: The hood is new, but the engine underneath is
familiar. It's the trusty Buick-developed 3800 Series II V6, in
unsupercharged 205-horsepower form. It is a fine powerplant for the
car, with fast throttle response at any speed, plenty of useable power,
and little appetite for regular gasoline. According to the driver
information center, around-town mileage is around 15 mpg (in mostly-
stopped traffic), with 28 to 30 highway miles for each gallon. That
translates to a highway cruising range of over 450 miles.